Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-08-18
HARRIET BEECHER STOWE.
She Liked 10 Write Short stories When She
Lived in Brunswick, Ne.

ed without being tumbled down. The
walks look not as II made to walk on, but
| by walking on; the trees bother one a
bove low height, the grounds look as if the
lawn mower were considered nuisance,
and 1t was thought that flowers throve
best when let alone which indeed, would
seem to be the case, for SO great profu-
sion neither of the others can boast. The
style of the interior is neither literary,
religious, artistic nor rural, but a peculiar
combination of all four, which is a family
trait.
Prominent in the study, in niche be
tween two windows, stands picture of
Henry Ward Beecher, so large. so strong,
so lifellke that it seems as if he were the
host, standing ready to entertain the
guests of his dear old sister, who adored
him. Many fine paintings cover the
walls, of a semireligious cast, and by the
old masters. Her book shelves are ranged
in the walls, not hanging outside them or
IN cases, and flowers in the greatest pro
fusion fill every nook and corner. Blue
peryades the furnishing; the Venus de
Milo, the Madonna and child, and the
Duke and Duchess of Argyll, keep each
other mute company through the long I'M
broken stiffness which bespeRk the fire.
quent absoenes of the gentle hostess,
for she Is great outdoor woman, and
may be seen taking her walk step by step
through the trees these beautiful June
mornings, her plain black dress covered
with dandelion down, her hands filled
with flowers, and her thin dark face,
Drowned by constant exposure, framed in
loose gray locks and black bonnet,
neither peaceful nor troubled but waiting.
The dim gray eyes light up in CONVEX
sation, however, and some sparks come
from between the pale lips now and again,
that impress one with what must have
been. Her manners have q more kindly
than courteous air, and are tinted with
the grace of mode IN as we'll as old
time customs. Her hearing is wonder
fully acute, and her intelligence glides
along SIDE by side with that of her guests
whom she receives with the air of an old
traveller hailing young one from some
foreign part-neither curious nor inter.
ested, but forbearing.
Yes, my deNc, loved TO write and
began very young. l especially liked
writing short stories when | lived in
Brunswick, Me. For these l used TO
get SIS, S20, $25-good pay in those
times. Ineyer thought of writing book
when | commenced I'pcle Toms Cabin
/ became first rouse> on tbs subjebt Of
slavery when | lived in Cincinnati and
used to see escaping slaves como over
the Ohio from Kentucky. All, me! il
thrills me even now, the sight of those
poor creatures. Now young girl, sug
costing the lover, parent or brother for
whom her heart was breaking in bondage;
again the strong husband, aged father
and stalwert brother. Oh, | must write
a story TO stop the dreadful shAme
kept putting it off, dreading bringing
the characters TO life, till the fugitive
slave law dashed me into fury, and com
menced what meant to be a short story
| like the others. But it grew, and grew
and grew, and grew, and came, and came
and came. | wrote, and wrote, and wrote
and thought | never should stop. | die
not plan the book as it tHrned out.
was only full of wrath, and the story bull
itself as | wrote.
| A publisher was waiting story from
me | told him the subject had undertake
Gu. He wrote, saying, You have struck
a popular topic; for heavens sake KEEP
it short wrote i'll reply, i shall stor
when | get through, not before, lie
never got it for | had to make a book oil
it. While writing it was filed with an
enthusiasm which transfnsed my being
knew no hlndrance, no rival interest, NJ
relief out in writing it. / had young
children, was keeping house and teaching
school at the time, and never worked &c
hard but had TO write. Dinner had TO bt
got, knew. This had TO be written, JUS
as much-aye, and more tool 1t was az
though il was written through me, ! only
holding the pen. ! was lifted off my
feet. Satisfied / never thought OF
being satisfied. When il was done IL was
finished and relief came. | never felt
the same with anything | afterwards
wrote. 'DredY All! yes il was on slavery
too, but it was different. 'Poganic Peo-
Pile interested me deeply. I grew tC
have deep sympaty for little girl,
at an age and of disposition TO be mis-
understood and i'll treated. Dolly is
fac .simile of myself as q child. ! wrote
it to help other children.
'After thot ! wrote for money, believ,
had felt the need and now tasted thu
good of it, and / wrote on for more OF IL
with more or less interest or excitement
My Wife and l and We and Our Neigh
bors' should be read toge Their; then 9Th
Minister'S Wooing, Nina Gordon TIL
Pearl of 0rr's Island is not good
but there are none of them like Uncl
Tom and Little Eva. Poor old Uncl
Tom. All, so many and so long agol"
Here the gray eyes d rop the light on
of them, the thin brown hands wander :
the white locks, and those knowing tn
dear old lady well know that soon the
will be asked 10 excuse her while she lie
down "to rest a little while"